Our donors

We currently receive grants from Comic Relief, the UK Department for International Development (DfID), the Oak Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Comic Relief

Comic Relief is a major charity based in the UK, with a vision of a just world, free from poverty. They work all year round to help make their vision a reality. Their mission is to drive positive change through the power of entertainment. Since 1985, they have raised over £1 billion, mainly through two big fundraising campaigns: Red Nose Day and Sport Relief. They spend the money raised to tackle the root causes of poverty and social injustice in the UK and across the world. They use the power and influence of their brand to raise awareness of issues where they feel they can make the biggest impact.

DFID – Department for International Development

The Department for International Development leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty. They aim to end the need for aid by developing economic growth, unlocking the potential of girls and women and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit. They work directly in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Set up in 1997, DFID is a ministerial department, supported by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK and the Independent Commission for Aid Impact.

Oak Foundation

The Oak Foundation was formally established in 1983. It commits its resources to address issues of global social and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. The first two programmes to get underway were Environment and Child Abuse, followed by four other programmes – Housing and Homelessness, International Human Rights, Issues Affecting Women and Learning Differences. Since its establishment, Oak Foundation has made over 3,000 grants to not-for-profit organisations across the globe. They value partnerships, both as a funder and as a grant-maker.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation was established by Paul Hamlyn in 1987. Upon his death in 2001, he left most of his estate to the Foundation, making it one of the largest independent grant-making foundations in the UK. PHF’s mission is to help people overcome disadvantages and lack of opportunity, so that they can realise their potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives. They have a particular interest in supporting young people and a strong belief in the importance of the arts.

In the last 12 months, we have completed consultancies for SOS Children’s Villages and the European Commission (for the latter, we were part of a consortium comprising Ecorys and the University of West England).

SOS Children’s Villages

SOS Children’s Villages is a global federation that works to prevent family breakdown and protect and care for children who have lost parental care, or who risk losing it. They work with communities, partners and states to ensure that the rights of all children, in every society, are respected and fulfilled. They are non-governmental and non-denominational. They respect all religions and cultures and work with trusted partners in places where they can contribute to social development.

SOS Children’s Villages International is made up of 116 autonomous, national SOS Children’s Villages member associations.

European Commission

The European Commission is the European Union’s executive body. It represents the interests of the European Union as a whole (as opposed to the interests of individual countries). The Commission’s main roles are to: set objectives and priorities for action; manage and implement EU policies and the budget; propose legislation; enforce European law (where necessary with the help of the Court of Justice of the EU); and represent the Union outside Europe (negotiating trade agreements between the EU and other countries, for example.).